A Look at Safe, Quiet, Clean, Efficient Personal Travel by Air

Personal Air Vehicle Conference Burlingham, California May 23, 2007 by Paul B. MacCready Consultant; Chairman of AeroVironment, Inc.

Monrovia, California [email protected]

AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 1

Human Mobility

Land Air Walk, run, jog Gliders, sailplanes Skate (ice or roller) Sailplane with rechargeable Snowshoes, skis batteries Scooter, bikes Sailplanes with fueled Electric bikes auxiliary motor, Sand sailer reciprocating or FC 2-wheel, 3-wheel, Lightplane, gasoline, 2-6 place motorized travel Helicopter, autogyro Trollies Dispense crop supplements, Cars – basic SUVs, pickups Trucks Trains small load carrier Fighter, jet engine Cargo & transportation, propellers or jet Water Swimming Wave powered, wind powered, sun powered.

Surface or underwater.

Powered: gasoline, battery Hydrofoil, powered Yachts, powered by wind or gasoline Tankers, ocean liners AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 2

AeroVironment, Inc.

Planning Study for Circum-Global Airplane August 1984 Gross weight = 10,914 lbs; weight without fuel = 3684 lbs L/D = 32.8 lbs at C L = 1.0

Span = 82 ft; area = 360 ft; max. HP = 210 AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 3

Early AV Project

Foldable, powered (gasoline), one-person airplane. About 1985. (Dropable from airplane. Person on ground unpacks the small package, assembles it by pulling on one cable, takes off and guides it to remote destination, even if he/she has never piloted an airplane before.) AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 4

Passenger Pigeon

4 billion in NE US in 1800; zero in 1900 (Humans had cut forests for fields, and also killed birds for fun or profit.) AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 5

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Future Manned Airplanes

Quiet, inexpensive substitute for helicopter. 2-person powered by reciprocating engine. Prop pitch control.

Ditto plane, fuel cell powered (with battery power for up and down) 50' T.O. & land; 45° initial climb and descent angle; 35-105 mph ordinary flight, has “active” wing sections adjust to maintain more constant lift.

Costs more, weighs more, than above.

Faster plane (to 150 mph) gasoline, diesel, cellulosic ethanol for fuel.

Much faster plane. Takeoff/climb/land cruise at 40-70 mph. Then maneuver to switch to a basic “tiny wing” high speed plane, 160-240 mph.

Assume 1 prop, varied pitch, for A-B-C-D. Alternatively for A-B-C can use two large props, ahead of or behind wings.

Smaller wing, faster plane.

Fly 40-70 mph efficiently and quietly, . It has wings extended out from nose, and out from tail. An “H” shape. Then tuck the wings into the fuselage, for the 160-240 mph flight. You lose some altitude when switching from slow to fast configuration. Prop at nose or tail. Wing and props can be given high angle of attitude if needed for facilitating slow flight.

AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 6

Achieving a desirable future world will depend strongly on the minds and actions of proactive persons who, among other talents, • can sort out fact from fiction • accept rapid change • comprehend connections between civilization and nature • use the rapid advance of computer/information technologies • communicate internationally with both scientists and lay people • have continuing connection to education AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 7

Sunraycer, PV cell powered Charger, battery assist IMPACT battery powered Helios (75 m) Altitude record 29,531 m) 2005 Global Observer Black Widow (15.2 cm) Raven (1.3 m) Wasp (35.6 cm) Dragon Eye (1.2 m) AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com Puma (2.8 m) All powered by lithium batteries, equipped with one or several video cameras, duration 30 minutes to 4 hours.

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AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 9

Over billions of years, on a unique sphere, chance has painted a thin covering of life - complex, improbable, wonderful and fragile.

Suddenly we humans (a recently arrived species no longer subject to the checks and balances inherent in nature), have grown in population, technology, and intelligence to a position of terrible power: we now wield the paintbrush.

AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 10

AeroVironment, Inc.  May, 2007 www.avinc.com 11